Doncaster

Doncaster's population grew between the last two censuses. At the same time there were changes in health, marriage and housing tenure.

The population passed 300,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Doncaster increased by 5.4%, from almost 287,000 to 302,000.

The addition of just under 16,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Doncaster was home to, on average, 3.8 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was higher than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across Yorkshire and The Humber, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Health improved

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's well-being.

The percentage of Doncaster residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 12% in 2001 to 7.3% in 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (78%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 65% in 2001. The percentage of Doncaster residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24% to 15%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 10% in 2001 to 6.0% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Doncaster decreased by 4.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Doncaster, Yorkshire and The Humber and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

This area saw Yorkshire and The Humber's third-largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

Across the region, only Barnsley (from 9.0% to 12%) and North Lincolnshire (from 8.4% to 11%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple, as the regional average grew from 8.7% to 11%.

In 2011, just over one in nine (12%) households in Doncaster had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.9% in 2001. The percentage with just a single person increased from 28% to 29%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Doncaster increased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Doncaster, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of employment

This area saw Yorkshire and The Humber's third-largest rise in the proportion of employed people.

Across the region, only Barnsley (from 49% to 51%) and Richmondshire (from 56% to 58%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of employed people.

During this period, Doncaster fell below Craven and Kirklees to become the Yorkshire and The Humber local authority area with the ninth-lowest percentage of employed people.

In 2011, just over one in two (52%) people aged 16 to 74 in Doncaster said they were employed, compared with 50% in 2001. The percentage that were unemployed increased from 4.2% to 5.8%.

The rate of employment was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that that said they were employed across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

More single people in Doncaster

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Doncaster at a faster rate than in nearby Selby.

In Doncaster, the proportion of single people increased from 26% in 2001 to 32% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in Selby increased from 23% to 27%.

Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 29% to 34%.

The proportion of married people in Doncaster fell from 54% to 47%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 12% to 13%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were single across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Change in Doncaster housing

The percentage of households that owner their home fell here at a faster rate than in Wakefield, a statistically similar local authority area.

In Doncaster, the proportion of home ownership decreased from 69% in 2001 to 65% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in Wakefield decreased from 65% to 64%.

Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the share of households that owner their home decreased from 67% to 64%.

Private renting in Doncaster increased from 6.6% to 15%, while the rate of social housing decreased from 21% to 18%.

The rate of home ownership was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of households that that owner their home across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

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